Archive

Daily Archives: March 21, 2012

McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt has been named new Associated Press president and CEO, succeeding Tom Curley. The AP announced the appointment this evening after I called to confirm a solid tip from a Romenesko reader. (Thanks to that person — and keep them coming! jim@jimromenesko.com)

Dean Singleton, outgoing chairman of the AP Board of Directors, says in a release:

Gary has deep experience in the changing world of the news industry, an acute business sense and an overriding understanding of and commitment to AP’s news mission. His background as a First Amendment lawyer is a hand-in-glove fit with AP’s long leadership role in fighting for open government and freedom of information. And, he knows AP well.

What is it with Starbucks and spelling errors? I asked yesterday. (VEGATABLES! COMPLEMENTARY WI-FI!) Today a Romenesko reader tips us off to another incredible Starbucks misspelling: “Interducing.” Raven Baxter tweeted the photo below this afternoon and wrote: “#USF #Starbucks please do better.”

If you’re a journalist, making stuff up is not a good career move. If you’re a fantasy writer, on the other hand, you’d better make stuff up by the chapter-load, or you’ll be out of a gig. But what if you fall somewhere in the middle?

Cable Neuhaus left his position as Newsmax Media creative director on Tuesday. “I have no immediate plans,” the veteran journalist says in an email. “Will chill for a bit before re-entering the fray. Seems there will be opportunities.” Neuhaus joined Newsmax six years ago as editorial director and became creative director about two years ago. The monthly conservative magazine is expected to undergo some changes. I’ve asked publisher Christopher Ruddy to describe them and will post his response when/if it comes in.

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s EatBeat day at the Grand Forks Herald. Marilyn Hagerty reviews New York’s Le Bernardin, and here are a few things that the 85-year-old columnist likes about the place:

* We found the ambience appealing

* At the beginning of the meal, the waiter asked if we had any food allergies.

* We noticed small, little tables where women can place their purses. No need to sit there wrestling with a bag all evening.

Journalists of my era often responded to the challenges posed by the industry’s shifting business model with the retort: “That’s a business side problem.” More often than not, though, the business side’s answer was budget cuts that diminished journalism. Tomorrow’s newsroom leaders must take responsibility for the success of the enterprise by convincing themselves, readers and owners alike of something that has always been true: Good journalism is good business.

Lee Enterprises CEO Mary Junck will tell shareholders today that the newspaper chain plans to introduce digital subscriber programs in more Lee markets within the next three months and expects to have them in most newspapers by the end of the year. “We’re excited about the opportunities we see for digital subscriptions,” she says. From the press release:

She said reception of a digital subscriber program at six newspapers in Montana and Wyoming has been good. She said there has been no adverse effect on digital advertising revenue, that the number of unique visits has continued to grow, and that page views have remained strong.

She shared updated market studies showing that Lee`s newspapers and digital products reach 82% of the adults in its 12 largest markets over a week, including 80% of people 18-29 years old.

She said mobile and tablet audience growth has been “breathtaking,” with page views up 225% in January 2012 compared with a year ago.

The Denver Post has laid off columnists Penny Parker and Mike Littwin, and “apparently, more is coming down today,” says Parker. She tells Michael Roberts she was surprised to get pink-slipped:

Kick me in the head, seriously. I knew nothing, nothing. My poor, 33-year-old boss had to tell me. I feel really bad for her. This is not what she signed on for. I would have expected [Post editor] Greg Moore to have called me. He didn’t, and I’m disappointed.

Why does she believe she was let go? “I’m extraneous. If you look at newspapers that still have a business columnist, well, they can be axed.” Both columnists were brought over from the Rocky Mountain News when that paper folded in 2009.